the headlines: not guilty. a us teenager who shot dead two people and injured another during racialjustice protests last year has been found not guilty of murder in a trial that polarised america. kyle rittenhouse argued that he was repeatedly attacked and had acted in self—defence. police in the netherlands have fired warning shots during a demonstration by people opposed to the partial lockdown put in place to stop rising covid infections. local media say water cannon was also used to disperse a crowd of several hundred, which had set fire to police vehicles. belarus�*s authoritarian leader, alexander lukashenko, says he will not stop the flow of thousands of migrants through his country as they try to enter the eu. speaking to the bbc, mr lukashenko admitted his armed forces may actually be helping migrants cross the border into poland.

now on bbc news, it's time for the firing line, which features the nominees and the winners of the rory peck awards for 2021. and a warning — this programme includes images and testimony that you may find distressing. chanting you have to put yourself in difficult and dangerous situations. and when most people would run away, you had towards trouble. footage from remote and hostile places can open the window into events that are shaping our world. these are some of the most powerful images of the year.

all shot by freelance video journalists. sounds like you worked out that you had to do this to keep going.— each year we step behind the camera to speak to the men and women who capture and bring us some of the most important news stories of our times, often under extremely difficult circumstances and great personal strain. these freelance video journalists are honoured by the rory peck awards, named after a british freelancer who was killed in moscow covering the october coup in 1993. his memory lives on through the rory peck trust who works with support freelance journalists and their families worldwide. first, the rory peck awards for news, the films that capture the immediacy of a story.

chanting shortly before the trial of derek chauvin, the police officer accused of killing the unarmed black man george floyd, katie g nelson and ed ou weather. katie g nelson and ed ou weather-— katie g nelson and ed ou weather. ., , ., , weather. how is it unlawful? you are unlawful! _ weather. how is it unlawful? you are unlawful! the - you are unlawful! the demonstrators - you are unlawful! the demonstrators were l you are unlawful! the demonstrators were calling for police accountability for another unarmed black man who was shot and killed by a brooklyn centre police officer during a routine traffic stop. people were really angry that this kept happening across our state and across our nation, and so they gathered him from the police station, first with signs and song than chanting, and then later in the evening, things got more challenging.

more violent. the police would come out and shoot tear gas into crowds, the crowds would sometimes throw items across the fences towards the police officers, and there was a tit—for—tat going on between the two for the days following donte wright's death.- donte wright's death. nelson sent donte wright's death. nelson spent one _ donte wright's death. nelson spent one evening _ donte wright's death. nelson spent one evening with - donte wright's death. nelson | spent one evening with ebony mcmillan and her children as the mood turned violent outside their apartment.— their apartment. there were children there, _ their apartment. there were children there, trying - their apartment. there were children there, trying to - their apartment. there were children there, trying to live j children there, trying to live a normal life but unable to do so. they kept the children in a bedroom away from a lot of the yelling and the protests. there was a lot of concern about rubber bullets going into the windows and hitting a child stop so both ed and i realised that this was a really unique story to tell and a really nuanced way to understand violence in america. the 'udges said this was i violence in america. the 'udges said this was a h

violence in america. the 'udges said this was a very h violence in america. the judges said this was a very original - said this was a very original and creative piece of journalism on a breaking news story. the filmmakers skilfully brought the exterior into the interior scenes. the result is a unique piece of reporting. thinking about what is going on around us, ifeel like was it selfish for me to bring them into the world that we are living in? is this what they have to look forward to? on fabree one this year, me and my positive military seized power, ousting the civilian government and arresting its leader, aung san suu kyi. the footage, shot by the firm is journalist who wishes to remain anonymous, shows the soldiers blocking the streets of capital. the footage of amongst one of first international reports confirming a coup was

under way. we ask the freelancer about his experience of making this film. he told us... . , , us... filming was very difficult _ us... filming was very difficult and _ us... filming was very difficult and the - us... filming was very - difficult and the protesters were sprayed with water cannons to disperse them. our cameras were wet. there was also teargas and many of the protesters were running with their eyes closed. i managed to overcome all these obstacles to reach out to ordinary people to reveal the truth.— reveal the truth. during this early stage _ reveal the truth. during this early stage of _ reveal the truth. during this early stage of the _ reveal the truth. during this early stage of the crew, - early stage of the crew, security forces did not allow journalists to film or upload the media. the freelancer told us... �* , . the media. the freelancer told us... ., ., , the media. the freelancer told us... as a 'ournalist, i really wanted to — us... as a journalist, i really wanted to film _ us... as a journalist, i really wanted to film what - us... as a journalist, i really wanted to film what was - wanted to film what was happening. there is a need for freedom of the press in myanmar. nowadays we are not allowed to report as we were before, but i can't give up. international community about the situation in myanmar under the situation in myanmar under the military hunter, and we as journalists want to tell the full story.

journalists want to tell the full story-— full story. the 'udges said these were _ full story. the judges said these were historically - these were historically important pictures of the early days of the coup in myanmar. the filmmaker took huge personal risks to report on what was happening. winner of the news words solan kolli,, was part of the afp team, both independent media to reach ethiopian public northern to grey region out of the national government launched a major military operation against dissident regional authorities —— tigray. the government crackdown on foreign media, especially ethiopian journalists working for foreign outlets. as the media kept away from the fighting during the conflict, there was no coverage of the actual war. instead, solan kolli document of the aftermath, filming mass graves

and interviewing victims, survivors and witnesses. after the war, survivors and witnesses. after the war. i _ survivors and witnesses. after the war. i saw _ survivors and witnesses. after the war, i saw many _ survivors and witnesses. after the war, i saw many funerals l survivors and witnesses. after. the war, i saw many funerals in which they were firing rounds of bullets into the air and women crying out loud at the top of their lungs. i saw a lot of dead bodies scattered around and also we visited a mass grave where the dead bodies were buried. it was devastating experience. were buried. it was devastating experience-_ experience. the footage included _ experience. the footage included the _ experience. the footage included the haunting i experience. the footage i included the haunting story experience. the footage - included the haunting story of a 23—year—old man who was attacked by his neighbours. the assailants decapitated his friend with a machete.

a distraught woman described how her family a distraught woman described how herfamily had been celebrating with guests when troops drag the man outside and shot them. the stories i am hearing from the survivors were horrific and difficult to process. they were telling us how they were being raped, how their loved ones were killed and how the property was looted. that was very extremely disturbing. the 'ud . es very extremely disturbing. the judges said _ very extremely disturbing. the judges said this was a powerful and sober approach to what was happening in tigray. it was bold and brave and understated interviews which put this very

hard to reach conflict in the spotlight. next, the rory peck awards for news features or films that look beyond the immediacy of the news story. mount everest is the ultimate mountaineering challenge for climbers from around the globe. but for those helping them scale the world's highest peak, it can be deadly work. shipper men die in disproportionate numbers, leaving behind winners —— widows who struggle to survive. this intimate film rojita adhikari by sreya banerjee and found out how the shipper widows are defined tradition to become red winners and to conquer the world's highest mountain. she and to conquer the world's highest mountain. she knows the ain and highest mountain. she knows the pain and suffering _ highest mountain. she knows the pain and suffering that _ highest mountain. she knows the pain and suffering that everest i pain and suffering that everest can inflict. her husband died

in a climbing accident in 2007. after years of financial struggles, she has decided to follow in his footsteps. mountaineering is very much still a male domain. generations of sherpa men have been climbing and leading expeditions and have become world renowned in theirfield, but women have rarely been encouraged to take up this activity. in fact, women stay at home to take care of their homes, their children while the men are away, and as for widows, it is doubly difficult because on the one hand there is the stigma of their situation, and on the other hand they have added responsibilities. but a new generation of women is trying to change that. i would like to think that our

film will bring about some change in the community, but in reality, i think it won't be immediate, it will be something gradual and it will be the women themselves driving this change, and because they are the ones who want a different future for themselves. the 'ud . es future for themselves. the judges said _ future for themselves. the judges said they _ future for themselves. the judges said they had seen many films about everest, the people who have conquered it and those who have conquered it and those who have conquered it and those who have died on it, but they have never seen a film about the shipper widows. this film tells the story is compellingly mount everest and the himalayas as their back drop. after the military grew in myanmar in february this year, some pro—democracy activists headed to the remote jungle regions to seek support from armed ethnic organisations

which had been waging their own on — off war with the country's military leaders the decades. freelancers tuja kareng hkun li, edward win and gain occlusive access to a military training camp. over three weeks, they filmed interviews and record of the events which tell the powerful story of the young people of my personal motivations and the high—stakes of their journey to the borderlands. it is very difficultjourney to

come here, but they are dedicated, they are committed to do some effective movement to do some effective movement to change the situation in burma. ., , . burma. indigenous current freelancer— burma. indigenous current freelancer edward - burma. indigenous current freelancer edward win - burma. indigenous current - freelancer edward win travelled to document the most intense assault that had ever happened in his lifetime. they have to leave their home, they have two stay in an unsafe base with great fear. i saw many kids are afraid, they are worried that aeroplanes are coming and will attack them again. they cannot go to school because their school was destroyed.— because their school was destroyed. because their school was destro ed. , , destroyed. the 'udges said this film destroyed. the judges said this film documents _ destroyed. the judges said this film documents an _ destroyed. the judges said this film documents an astonishing | film documents an astonishing alliance between student protesters in myanmar and battle hardened rebel fighters

deepin battle hardened rebel fighters deep in the jungle. battle hardened rebel fighters deep in thejungle. a battle hardened rebel fighters deep in the jungle. a wholly new view of me and my public struggle that suggests fight is far from over struggle that suggests fight is farfrom over and struggle that suggests fight is far from over and there struggle that suggests fight is farfrom over and there may struggle that suggests fight is far from over and there may be surprises ahead. the suppression of the uyghur people does not stop at china's order. this uyghur activist operates an underground railroad in pakistan, smuggling people into other countries. his work is becoming more difficult as china invests millions of dollars into the china pakistan corridor, or cpec, series of infrastructure projects that connect the two

countries. brent huffman spent overfour countries. brent huffman spent over four years and countries. brent huffman spent overfour years and made countries. brent huffman spent over four years and made five separate trips to produce this exclusive report on the underground railroad run by umer. 50 underground railroad run by umer. , . ~ umer. so i first met umer back in 2015, and — umer. so i first met umer back in 2015, and umer— umer. so i first met umer back in 2015, and umer at _ umer. so i first met umer back in 2015, and umer at that - umer. so i first met umer back in 2015, and umer at that time | in 2015, and umer at that time was a school teacher, he was running a nonprofit covering uyghur language in uyghur culture, and then seeing the tragedy happening to the uyghur people within china. he was incredibly motivated to do something, to help, so he began what is essentially this underground railroad where he is smuggling threatened uyghurs out of china, bringing them into pakistan and then trying to find a safe location that they can emigrate to. for all they can emigrate to. for all the promises _ they can emigrate to. for all the promises of _ they can emigrate to. for all the promises of cpec - they can emigrate to. for all the promises of cpec to - the promises of cpec to transform pakistan's economy, some groups see these

developments as a threat and have mounted a violent campaign of resistance, including the beloved just an icap liberation army, whose commander spoke exclusively to huffman.- exclusively to huffman. china's military expansion _ exclusively to huffman. china's military expansion designs - exclusively to huffman. china's military expansion designs are | military expansion designs are an open secret. in our opinion, the one belt, one road project is solely to expand china's influence in the region. china dismisses — influence in the region. china dismisses these _ influence in the region. china dismisses these claims - influence in the region. china dismisses these claims and l influence in the region. china l dismisses these claims and has accused the bla of being a terrorist organisation. figs accused the bla of being a terrorist organisation. as the cpec prejects _ terrorist organisation. as the cpec projects developed, - terrorist organisation. as the | cpec projects developed, the situation for uyghurs gets worse and worse and the way china sees it is that they want to silence the uyghur community, they want to clamp down so that they are essentially not causing problems for the cpec projects. thejudges said this problems for the cpec projects. the judges said this was a brilliantly structured and told film, solid journalism with a

beating heart, the clearest telling of a complex story, which is inspiring but also heartbreaking. and finally, the sony impact award for current affairs for films that examine and issue and have an impact. this entry was the unique work of three freelance eritreans who risked their lives to film inside a prison and to smuggle the footage outside. they wanted the world to witness the truth about the oppressive government of their country, in a plea for greater understanding and ultimately help. we cannot reveal the freelancers' names for their own security, but evan williams, the director of the film, spoke to us on their behalf. , ., , , .,

behalf. this film really began with one simple _ behalf. this film really began with one simple question. . behalf. this film really began l with one simple question. why is it so many eritreans, particularly young eritreans, particularly young eritrea ns, risked particularly young eritreans, risked their lives crossing the desert in the oceans to try and reach sanctuary in europe and particularly the united kingdom? the more we research this, the more we discover that the people were fleeing because of a system of mandatory national service where, when you turn 18, you go into the military, you are then designated a job by the government. many of these positions are in the army, and you are there pretty much for the rest of your working life without any choice at all. those who try and flee their position or try and flee the country to escape this are then jailed and many of them are tortured and beaten for information about who helped them get out. there is no free press or freedom of speech in eritrea, and criticising the government can lead to lengthyjail terms.

there is no constitution or independentjudiciary. secretly filming inside a prison can lead to torture and execution. we worked with a small team of eritreans who developed away to get into the prisons. we developed cameras to take into prisons and then we worked with them very closely to train them up them very closely to train them up and get the verifiable information and the video that we required. it took courage, it took commitment, it took stamina, it took an extraordinary amount of professionalism on their part, and this is really an eritrean film about eritrea. they wanted to get this information out. the judges to get this information out. thejudges said the to get this information out. the judges said the bravery of these freelancers is what rory peckis these freelancers is what rory peck is all about. the degree of difficulty of the film is like walking a high wire, with some beautifully shot sequences and undercoverfilming and undercover filming challenges. this

and undercoverfilming challenges. this year long investigation by njeri mwangi and judith kanaitha for bbc africa eye uncovered damning evidence of a thriving undercover network and stolen children in kenya. this secretive and highly lucrative trade praise in the country's most vulnerable, stealing children from homeless women and even from the maternity ward of a major government hospital in the heart of nairobi. the women in the streets are very desperate, for many reasons, poverty being one of them. they are convinced that they can make some money, so they can make some money, so they sell their children. it is also a desperate situation for them because they can't take care of those children, and somebody is giving them a sort of way out for them to consider. sadly it is taking advantage of the situation.

mwangi and judith kanaitha cultivated a network of whistleblowers in order to infiltrate and secretly record several active child trafficking networks that targeted kenya's poorest women. the film sent shockwaves throughout the country, and kenyan police ordered a full investigation into hospitals as well as children's homes in nairobi. ,, . , ., , nairobi. since the story was aired, nairobi. since the story was aired. we — nairobi. since the story was aired, we now— nairobi. since the story was aired, we now get - nairobi. since the story was aired, we now get one - nairobi. since the story was aired, we now get one or i nairobi. since the story was. aired, we now get one or two cases per week, and previously we used to get four to five cases in a week. but now we can say we are happy because the cases have reduced to a very low number.— cases have reduced to a very low number. the 'udges said this was a h low number. the 'udges said this was a brave, - low number. the judges said this was a brave, impactful, |

this was a brave, impactful, relevant film with an incredibly important story to tell. to produce such a complex investigation with a local team undercover is an extraordinary feat. finding people who can operate in this environment, running such risks, takes years. winner of the sony impact award, joshua baker's film tells the extraordinary story of one family's journey from a small town in america to the height of isis in syria. are you happy for me to start? filmed overfour years, baker filmed over four years, baker investigated filmed overfour years, baker investigated the story of sam sally. after arriving, her husband became an isis sniper and her son matthew was forced to take part in an infamous propaganda video. we

to take part in an infamous propaganda video.- to take part in an infamous propaganda video. we will have victo . propaganda video. we will have victory- get _ propaganda video. we will have victory. get ready, _ propaganda video. we will have victory. get ready, because - propaganda video. we will have victory. get ready, because the| victory. get ready, because the fighting hasjust begun. it victory. get ready, because the fighting hasjust begun.- fighting has 'ust begun. it was he and his — fighting hasjust begun. it was he and his brother— fighting hasjust begun. it was he and his brother that - fighting hasjust begun. it was he and his brother that were l he and his brother that were forcing — he and his brother that were forcing the kids to do this, crazy— forcing the kids to do this, crazy intense video of this american kid with his yazidi friends _ american kid with his yazidi friends. this would be great propaganda. friends. this would be great prepaganda-_ friends. this would be great propaganda. sam claimed her husband had _ propaganda. sam claimed her husband had tricked - propaganda. sam claimed her husband had tricked her- propaganda. sam claimed her husband had tricked her into l husband had tricked her into going to syria and that she had no knowledge of her husband's interest in extreme ideology. sam is a complex person. she can be both the manipulator and the manipulated, and you often never really know where you stand with sam. as a journalist, she is a real challenge to tell the story of, because she is an unreliable narrator. she is also not the sort of stereotypical person you expect to end up with isis. this is somebody from middle america who has no history of extremist views, yet she ends up extremist views, yet she ends up at the heart of the isis caliphate, so she is a real

enigma. caliphate, so she is a real enigma-— enigma. shortly after the prepaganda _ enigma. shortly after the propaganda video - enigma. shortly after the propaganda video was i enigma. shortly after the - propaganda video was filmed, her husband was killed in a suspected drone strike and sam paid people smugglers to get herself and her children out of isis territory. now safely back in the us and living with his father, matthew opened up to baker about the propaganda video. did you want to do it? no, ijust wanted to go on with my life. just wanted to get back home, do my thing. it sounds like you worked out that you had to do this to keep going. you had to do this to keep anoin. , you had to do this to keep going.- matthew - you had to do this to keep going.- matthew is i you had to do this to keep going. yes. matthew is an extremely _ going. yes. matthew is an extremely smart - going. yes. matthew is an extremely smart kid. - going. yes. matthew is an extremely smart kid. he l going. is; matthew is an extremely smart kid. he is one of the — extremely smart kid. he is one of the most emotionally intelligent people i have ever met, _ intelligent people i have ever met, and he found himself in a situation — met, and he found himself in a situation where he was being forced — situation where he was being forced to— situation where he was being forced to do these things. he was _ forced to do these things. he was being deprived of food. he was being deprived of food. he was genuinely at risk if he did not do — was genuinely at risk if he did not do what he was being forced to do _ not do what he was being forced to do 55 — not do what he was being forced to do. isis had taken this boy's— to do. isis had taken this boy's identity. they had forced him to— boy's identity. they had forced him to do— boy's identity. they had forced him to do these things, they had — him to do these things, they

had put _ him to do these things, they had put him out into the world, and one — had put him out into the world, and one of— had put him out into the world, and one of the reasons his father, _ and one of the reasons his father, his family and he actually— father, his family and he actually wanted to speak to us was sort — actually wanted to speak to us was sort of to reclaim that narrative, to say hold on, this isn't _ narrative, to say hold on, this isn't something i did by choice _ isn't something i did by choice i_ isn't something i did by choice. i had no choice. the 'udaes choice. i had no choice. the judges said _ choice. i had no choice. the judges said this _ choice. i had no choice. the judges said this film - choice. i had no choice. tue: judges said this film was choice. i had no choice. t'ts: judges said this film was well shot, structured and researched, and an extraordinary piece of work to get on air. commitment to the story an investment in journalism was remarkable. as an issue, it is of huge relevance to society as we try to understand why someone from a western country would join isis, and the sociology behind it. what would you want people to understand about what you lived through?— lived through? that you can ull lived through? that you can pull through. _ lived through? that you can pull through. that - lived through? that you can pull through. that is - lived through? that you can pull through. that is really. pull through. that is really it. no matter how bad the situation is, you can always get through it.—

situation is, you can always get through it. that's it from this year's — get through it. that's it from this year's edition _ get through it. that's it from this year's edition of - get through it. that's it from this year's edition of the - this year's edition of the firing line, an extraordinary year where the global pandemic continue to impact all of our lives. nevertheless, freelance journalists still brought us important stories from around the world for the 2021 rory peck awards. goodbye. hello there. if you haven't already heard, the weather story is on the change, certainly to the feel of our weather over the next few days. in fact, we'll start to see the first signs of that this weekend, gradually turning colder from the north. and it's this weather front that's producing some rain, the cold air tucking in behind the front, with a scattering of showers waiting in the winds. that gradually slips its way south into northern ireland and northern england. ahead of it, we should see early—morning cloud, mist and murk starting to thin and break for some glimpses

of sunshine and highs of 13 celsius. plenty of showers following into the far north of scotland, and already the first signs of that colder air arriving. but the real cold air pushes through saturday night into sunday, and the wind direction changes to this northerly flow. so, for all of us, we'll notice the difference first thing on sunday morning. there'll be more in the way of sunshine right across the country, but it will be noticeably colder, particularly when you factor in the strength and the direction of the wind.

welcome to bbc news. i'm mark lobel. our top stories: a us teenager who shot dead two people and injured another during racialjustice protests last year has been found not guilty of murder in a trial that polarised america. police in the netherlands fire warning shots as people take to the streets, protesting against the partial lockdown imposed to curb rising covid cases. belarus's authoritarian leader, alexander lukashenko, speaks exclusively to the bbc. he admits that his forces may have helped migrants cross into the european union. translation: i told the eu i i'm not going to take migrants

—— detain migrants on the border, hold them at the border,